Meet Isabelle Mendoza
“A lot of times I think it worked better back then, it was a simpler time where people would love each other because of their character and who they were and not what they had. Now everyone has too much freedom, too much time, and more money so it’s lost its meaning.”
-Isabelle Mendoza (National City) |
I have known my great grandma my entire life and I decided to interview her because she 85 years old. I figured that since I have only known her for 15 years of her life, that there must be events and experiences I haven't heard about.
Isabelle was the oldest girl of three and had seven younger brothers. She grew up in Barrio Logan and had to learn the responsibilities of being a woman at a young age to help her mother take care of her siblings, but this interview is not about that. This interview is about when she met and fell in love with my great grandpa, Tony Mendoza, along with her experience of losing him when he passed away and advice she gives to young people for being in love.
This interview took place in her home in National City on October 21, 2015. The interview was 40 minutes long and the story being told is taken from the transcript.
The Full Story
"When I was a little girl I never thought about what I wanted to be but my mother always said I would be a good housewife. I was the oldest of three girls and ten children so I had seven brothers. I used to hurry home from school to help my mother clean the house and make dinner for ten children, can you imagine that? In my heart I always knew I was going to get married but I never knew I was going to marry a good man like that.
You’ll never believe how we met. I lived in the housing projects in National City and he looked pretty good walking back and forth; it was a housing project. I told this girl ‘I’d sure like to meet this boy’ so she brought him over and I met him. I had just graduated from high school so we just started going around together.
On our first date we went to the movies, the cheapest movie you could see because we had to have extra money left over to catch the bus; it was kind of rough, catching the bus back and forth. His car wasn’t very good so sometimes it wouldn’t run. It was hard but we had enough to get by. A lot of times I think it worked better back then, it was a simpler time where people would love each other because of their character and who they were and not what they had. Now everyone has too much freedom, too much time, and more money so it’s lost it’s meaning. We would share a soda and sometimes take a walk, it was fun.
We got married at 1950. We had a house dinner and we didn’t have a honeymoon or anything; we couldn’t afford that. He just went to work the next day and I stayed home. I didn’t work anymore and I had my first of two girls and that was all I could afford; that was all I needed and I wouldn’t change it for anything. When I first got married, I was so glad I was with someone who finally understood me. We always used to tease each other but not mean, it was just like a joke between us.. I think that’s apart of love too because you have to understand each other and you have to love each other for the right reasons. You can’t just put your foot in anything. You have to think about it first, you know? Just be yourself and think about what you’re going to do, don’t let anybody push you into anything. You have to live your own life, but live it the right way; where you think for the best not just to do stuff for the moment. It always takes time to understand but as you get older, you understand it more.
It was great. I had a nice life with your grandpa, he was a nice man. You could tell him anything and he would say ‘Just take it easy, relax a little bit’. We never had no big problems or anything. When I lost him, I lost my best friend. In my heart I always knew I was going to get married but I never knew I was going to marry a good man like that.
I won’t forget my life I had with him. I’m very happy with the life I had with him, like if I went tomorrow, I did it. I mean, there’s nothing I regret or feel sorry about. I’d look back and I’d say, ‘Now I can hold grandpa’s hand.’ You know, a lot of people don’t understand that you miss somebody when they’re gone. I miss your grandpa a lot, it’s good to reminisce and remember him so we never forget. Some nights I sit here and I think about all the silly things we did, but it was worth it. It was really worth it, and that’s the story of my life."
You’ll never believe how we met. I lived in the housing projects in National City and he looked pretty good walking back and forth; it was a housing project. I told this girl ‘I’d sure like to meet this boy’ so she brought him over and I met him. I had just graduated from high school so we just started going around together.
On our first date we went to the movies, the cheapest movie you could see because we had to have extra money left over to catch the bus; it was kind of rough, catching the bus back and forth. His car wasn’t very good so sometimes it wouldn’t run. It was hard but we had enough to get by. A lot of times I think it worked better back then, it was a simpler time where people would love each other because of their character and who they were and not what they had. Now everyone has too much freedom, too much time, and more money so it’s lost it’s meaning. We would share a soda and sometimes take a walk, it was fun.
We got married at 1950. We had a house dinner and we didn’t have a honeymoon or anything; we couldn’t afford that. He just went to work the next day and I stayed home. I didn’t work anymore and I had my first of two girls and that was all I could afford; that was all I needed and I wouldn’t change it for anything. When I first got married, I was so glad I was with someone who finally understood me. We always used to tease each other but not mean, it was just like a joke between us.. I think that’s apart of love too because you have to understand each other and you have to love each other for the right reasons. You can’t just put your foot in anything. You have to think about it first, you know? Just be yourself and think about what you’re going to do, don’t let anybody push you into anything. You have to live your own life, but live it the right way; where you think for the best not just to do stuff for the moment. It always takes time to understand but as you get older, you understand it more.
It was great. I had a nice life with your grandpa, he was a nice man. You could tell him anything and he would say ‘Just take it easy, relax a little bit’. We never had no big problems or anything. When I lost him, I lost my best friend. In my heart I always knew I was going to get married but I never knew I was going to marry a good man like that.
I won’t forget my life I had with him. I’m very happy with the life I had with him, like if I went tomorrow, I did it. I mean, there’s nothing I regret or feel sorry about. I’d look back and I’d say, ‘Now I can hold grandpa’s hand.’ You know, a lot of people don’t understand that you miss somebody when they’re gone. I miss your grandpa a lot, it’s good to reminisce and remember him so we never forget. Some nights I sit here and I think about all the silly things we did, but it was worth it. It was really worth it, and that’s the story of my life."